DORA L. WHITNEY
Dora Lee Whitney, 57 years of age, of Holdrege, went to be with the Lord, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Dora was born on July 22, 1964, in McPherson, Kansas, the eighth of nine children born to Clarence and Dorothy (Bissell) Phillips. She received her primary education from Arnold Public Schools, and then attended and graduated from North Platte High School with the class of 1982. She pursued higher education from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and received her Bachelors of Science Degree, with a Major in Horticulture.
On May 10, 1986, (also her college graduation day), Dora was united in marriage to Todd Whitney in Lincoln, Nebraska. This union was blessed with two children: Larissa; and Logan. Dora owned and operated the Spring Sprouts Green House in Oakley, Kansas, for six seasons; while also working as a Farm Bureau secretary and in the Clerk of District Court in Oakley, Kan. The family moved to Lyons, Kan. in 1996, where Dora worked in the District Court office and later clerical for the City of Lyons.
In 2000, the family transferred to Concordia, Kansas, with Kansas State Extension. It was at this time that Dora launched her 20 plus year substitute teaching career. Prior to her death, her most significant substitute teaching contributions were with the Southern Valley Public Schools.
Dora thoroughly enjoyed her family and sharing memories through Facebook. Dora also thrived on growing plants; gardening; landscaping; and sharing her horticulture background, stemming back to her all-high school employment with the UNL West Central Research Experiment Station and her internship with the Denver Botanical Gardens.
She will be remembered for her caring spirit; giving nature; service to Christ, and her active membership at Trinity Evangelical Free Church. Dora also provided humor and was known for sharing digital ‘gifts’ and re-posting many inspirational and humorous social media messages.
Dora was preceded in death by her father, Clarence A. Phillips, Jr; mother, Dorothy E. Phillips Moore; step-father, Willard Moore; three brothers, one sister and father-in-law, Gary Whitney.
Survivors include: her husband, Todd Whitney of Holdrege; her children: Larissa Whitney and granddaughter Kendra, of Hays, Kan., son, Logan Whitney and wife, Miranda, of Louisville, Kentucky; five brothers, five sisters, mother-in-law, Elta Whitney of Auburn, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Byron and Lori Whitney of Shubert, sisterin-law and brother-in-law, Sheila and Randy Boden of Green Bay, Wisc., nieces and nephews, Megan and Tommy Bakken of S.D. and Bryce and Lauren Boden of Green Bay, Wisc., other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life service was held Saturday, December 4, 2021 at the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, Nebraska.
A memorial has been established in Dora’s honor to an educational fund for her granddaughter, Kendra. https://everloved.com/lifeof/dora-whitney/